Do you think the Zodiac didn't care if he got caught after that murder. That was very risky and it's embarrasing the police messed that up. He wrote the letters saying they could have caught him so do you think he really did want to be found out?
shareI don't think it was ever his intention to get caught, but it was certainly the most daring murder he committed. The Stine crime is interesting for so many reasons, mainly because (aside from Berryessa) it was a complete deviation from his presumed MO. You can't forget the gloves left behind, which I believe were Zodiac's, but whether they were deliberately left as a 'fake clue' will probably never be known.
Ultimately, he essentially escaped that night because of sheer dumb luck. To this day I still don't know how or why the wrong dispatch was issued stating the killer was a black man. If Fouke and Zelms (the officers on Jackson St) had the correct description, history might have been very different. Nevertheless, those two officers did make mistakes - in the 2007 This is the Zodiac Speaking documentary Fouke stated that he clearly saw the suspect entering a stairwell on Jackson St - and yet, for some reason, failed to mention that in his original 1969 report. To this day, there's also some dispute as to whether Fouke and Zelms actually spoke to the suspect or not.
The whole crime raises some interesting questions, though. Did Zodiac know he was being watched? Did he have a back-up plan in case there was a street witness? Did he expect the police to arrive that quickly?
In the 'motorcicles' letter he's basically laughing at the police. Essentially he's saying that they were never closer to catching him as they were that night and they completely blew it. He enjoyed making a mockery of them, and it seems that everything about the Paul Stine murder worked in his favour in that regard.
Ive always believed that the Zodiac lived in the Presido Heights neighborhood, or had a friend or relative who did.
I have always wondered if - since they have an exact address from Foukes and Zelms - ever looked into who was living in that residence in 1969. IIRC it is a single family home.
Yes he said he was in the park, which I think means the presidio playground park, and was watching the cops on their motorcycles. Remember also he was wearing military wing walkers which makes it possible that he knew the presidio area well and possibly even had been based there
shareMy theory is that he took the gloves off to cut the shirt. Try using a small pair of scissors while wearing gloves, it's impossible. Also I've read that they now believe Zodiac sat in front seat with driver the whole time, and therefore would not have been covered in blood after the shooting.
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